New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-07
THE NEW CANCER HOSPITAL.
NOTABLE FXERClsEs AT ITS OPENING.


r.. formal opcning of the New-York Cancer Hospital
4, r,chtbaye and One -aud-hfthst. was accom-
plshed Yesterday afternoon before large nuhoer Vi
nromincnt people. The exercises were held III the main
hail OIL tho second floor and the large crowd neu 'ns
corridors and tho adjoining rosns John l. PARSONS
Of the Board OF Trustees presided ana hue
ducsd Bishop Potter, who made the opening prayer
.ter scriptural rcading by the Rev. Dr. John
Hail. and the singing OF the "H"spitM SUNDAY
Hymn" by the choir OF 81 lhomaS y
Church Mr.. Parsons delivered the opening address,
EXPRESSIVE Of congratulaton OH the complexion ana
onsning Of the hospital General Cullan, who. with ms
wife Mrs Elizabeth Hamilton Cnliam. is designated as
.ne Of the founders Of the institution, referred in tSuc
ing manner to the lifelong interest OF Mrs Cullam IN
charitable affairs and notably in the hospital in which,
vbils living she had manifested noble Interest hVHs
endowed it also death with considerable properly
DIR. BARKERs ADMIRABLE PAPER.
The address of Dr. Fordyce Barker was an admiraolo
presentation of this historical aspect Of cancer ava ~
dred diseases with reference to their inc'ie"i "e"
and their distinguishing peculiarites.
DR. Barkers address in full was As follows:
The opening Of hospital in hs CITY, the first IN
eIna.yey to the treatment of cancer is an event Of
such that greatly regret that the selection
ors compet.nt to do Justice ts the occasion But
Considerations have been forced on me which seem ia
make imperative duty TO accept the position ana
throw myself on your kind indulgence.
one inducemen which had its weight upon nv mind
.
the wonderful progress made in the decade IN the
successful OF many eases OF cancer which before
been the domain OF and the result of surgical
proceedings. can speak of these without any impua-
My purpose simply show the necessity for and the
usefulness for such npsrt s.ms K""leIgH
seek relief and within these walls, and to correct
popular errors In regard to i which seem to be
amsst crsal. and which the profession well know
have caused an inoalcus6lc amount OF unnecessary
misery and unhappness In the world 1t is to be cont
hospital
eventually accomplish the relief OF unhappnsss and
by its future inmates but will extend many thousands
whs will never be within its walls.
As preliminary 10 what am about to say. | may be
permitted define words which are IL general use
BY the public in a sense quite different from their pro
abnormal in any part the system is
which 10 the minds OF most patients 0hs
often consult their physician because OF an avo"ed ap
The word tumer nearly. but not exactly identical
word swelling and carries to the professional
mind significance AS necessarily Implying dan
ger TO life. We speak OF glanduiar tunsrs tatty'
cellular or hbrous tumors as innocent OF benign
meaning thereby that they purely local gr0wths nav
ing no tendency to extension by formation 81 oher
gowths ana that II removed hey are gone But
also have what are called malignant tumors which
involve destructive generation ana eradus OF
adjacent tissue and which may finally inject the general
system and destroy ne .,..,
Cancsr using vi. term IN raSasn fba, ths was
first observed and studied rs an external disease The
who lived Rome ia the latter part OF the second cent
ury and physician Of great emlnence ana one OF
fsncicd resemblance of the appearance OF the disease
as it itself into adjacent healthy tissues to the
Since his day. the name has been universally adoped,
beth by the medical PROCESSION ana thc Ra9S sa
grewhs scirrbus hard cancer ence phaIo OF
tscng and ecurren forms OF .arcoina and ether vare
ties. which differ much in structure ana ia ther
clinical features.
SOME FAMIIIARITIts OF THE DlsEAsE.
Tho nalignancy which is the common Characteristic
~ Ina fnuel pOpuldr OF the
term cancer TO all these diseases. aud all come
within the province OF this hospital TO treat. l will
briefly OF tue peeusres OF this group OF
diseases which dis ingush them from all others They
have for years been gradually increasing in fire.
Quency and causing larger proportion of deaths In
those nations which the most adyan In ciVlza-
ton.
In the forty-frs annual report OF tbs RegstrsrGcn
srs of England. published in 1850 It IS asserted that
the number Of deaths fr0n cancer was o-is ih Ill
Increased II ths period. the increase n frequency VIII
be more isTy s avo og so ANNA
2 Ua drins the Ave is5o IN
sas % ~ IN t hG year ISIS tive wa, Si2
In York City IL. pr.p9r.n OF deaths from can an
70 the million. According to the reports vital stats
fics OF te of the United States OF 1850 the pro
deaths reported from known 3G6s to 1000
Cancer disease OF advanced age IL Is .In5 III al
ages but in very uncqual proportions. IN s,l93 cases
the proportion deaths under I'VE years OF age was
4 while from nNc 10 zen II - PC.
are of fifteen the proportion gradually rises in each
%enche: 10 per 900 Alter This pcroa
proportion gradually Glmnishes as te huH VI te-c
hying alter this period OF life diuinshes Jonathan
Uuchison OF Lon ION. OPT mon OH all questions OF
pathology Is considered authority In All paris OF the
learned world In the most able c.sCusSlOn winch mas
sver been held on this subject that before the Paho!os
Teal Clinical Society OF Glasgow IN ls.3 san Oi
the which undere the c.ivity 10 c-Ecer ana
~ amen. we a. vet Know but little hat little we de
wOud lead believe that IL Ras nOnlEg 10 40
with the diet or with climate Inc herDverous ahlinas
the world where the conditions favorable to
longevity. Wherever, from whatever e@u.s they
are not So there becomes relatively lnircqueh
il 1. almost unknown in those Of our deMesc animals
which used for ioOd for the simple reason lhtt we
Let them grow old, while Ia dogs cats uose' anu
pr Billings says "The Increase OF mortality from
cancer advancing age mag ne explained either on
,ia in advanced at the period of physiological decay
or the theory that the predios tsn 10 cancer oe
beyond question that IN those populations where
but ie reach old age cancer Is propoTtionally rare
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF CANCER.
There are curious and Interesting facts IN regard
b, the geographical distribution OF cancer which science
ps vet does not satisfactorily explain. The last census Of
the United states demonstrates that this disease Is
especially prevalent in the wEugaHl states and on
The Southern Pacific coast that Is prevalent in New
York Pennsylvania Ohio AMI Ia the interior OF Mchl-
gan and the southern part OF Wisconsin, aud that IL Is
least prevalent upon the Mississippi and ia the south
aud that the proportions generally lever III inc coast
regions than Ia the interior An examination OF INC
reports OF death from cancer IN Ihgiand ara wares
made by Dr. Hayillaad lead him 10
conclusions quite ia accord with those der yed
from our own census. Both banks OF tho I"scd near
Berwick and OF the Tyne New' astlo. seHs pSrt OF
Yorkshire aud tao whole Of the beautiful Lake DSuc.
are fertile beds of cancer The Isle OF wight Is all but
free from this disease while 1t is common IN Brl:heh,
Eekesisne Dover ksInsgaio and Msrgate. STATISTICS
also demonstrate other facts nave seoMu 70 re'o,
that density Of pspuats1. poor living and l~boil"n'
toll have little TO 10 with the develepneni ana appear
cancer Thus Ia London, IN which AS wAoc can
very prevalent the parish OF ST. LIKE the hesh-
bsrnood OF Blshops.ats- st. owded Bcthnsl bIeen'
the Isle Of Dog Rotaershthe and Berhshdsey are al
mos, exempt from this disease, but IN h'
parts Of the metropolis. about the MayeDo IOS, ~
gents Park and Primrose I'M II Is e1csPtlOb.I, ~
qusht In Liverpool. which has large inor,snV ns'n
oInet causes OF death shown by the fsct that WIZ
reputation OF $4,000 IN 1878. the number OF ues.n'
exceeded those OF tse total number OF us births DJ oC
'e percentage Of deaths from cancer was c1oePusay
sna In The future may he discovered that Tue loc.